BEGINNINGS
CZB: What was it like working in a record shop? Is there any specific genre of music you would not have listened to, had you not had this line of work?
James Lavelle (J.L.): It was amazing – in those days it was more than a shop, it was a social environment that defined your identity. I was lucky that I worked in both a dance shop at the peak of creativity in dance and hip hop and then a second hand shop which specialised in black music. Both these experiences allowed me to learn so much about music and most importantly opened my mind to pretty much any style of music as long as it was good!

RECORD INDUSTRY
CZB: Do you consider that the internet and mp3 has completely broken the record industry, or is it a matter of time before someone finds a way of controlling the art exchange?
J.L.: A combination of both – a lot of the personal social experience has gone. There is also so much music out there that it is suffocating, but then the flip side is people are exposed to more music than ever and there are easier ways to make it, but control is a massive issue as if it does not generate money then musicians cannot survive and the sad thing is it’s the more innovative ones who suffer! It’s a very complicated situation that just seems out of balance right now…… but then so is most of the world!

MO WAX
RiCo: Is Mo Wax just partially (A&M, Polygram) Universal now, or aBeggars Group label?
J.L.: It’s dead! All good things come to an end!!

RiCo: MoWax. What was it like releasing 200 records in a five year time frame?
J.L.: it was an amazing time with amazing people who thought they could change the world! It was like the lunatics were running the asylum!

RiCo: Was this your initial plan, or did it just happen?
J.L.: It just happened; you can’t plan these things.

RiCo: How did you discover an act, for example, like Aphex Twin? Would you personally go to venues or did you have a hired A&R man do that?
J.L.: Through so many different ways. I think its mainly about being socially involved and constantly searching for new music. I pretty much signed every single record to Mo Wax but in the latter years I had two other people that helped me as there was so much going on.

Men from Unkle90’s MUSIC
RiCo (Zile şi Nopţi): What would two Vital Cuts be for the evolution of music during the 90’s, from your point of view?
J.L.: Impossible question!! I think there are artists rather than specific records:Bjork, Radiohead, Massive Attack,Underworld, Chemical Brothers,Beastie Boys, DJ Shadow, etc.Popout

UNKLE
RiCo: Why the name UNKLE or Men from Unkle.
J.L.: Me and Tim Goldsworthy (D.F.A) where the Men from UNKLE. It was originally our production company.

RiCo: Tim Goldsworthy was your best friend at school? Was there no possibility to reach a compromise to evolve together musically with UNKLE?
J.L.: We were kids, it was such a mad time and it all happened so fast. It was not about compromise, we just lost each other in the haze!

DRAWING Unkle war stories
RiCo: Did your relationship with Tim Goldsworthy die out, or do you still go out for a beer every now and then?
J.L.: We are still friends, there is positive contact and now he is back in the UK we are planning to potentailly work together in the future and he is best friends with my UNKLE partnerPablo.

THE ARTIST BLOG
RiCo (Zile şi Nopţi): How has experience from writing a column helped you with your Blog? Is the Blog something like kindling an old passion for writing?
J.L.: No I avoided it for years – I like to try and keep my self to my self but I thought it was time to embrace rather than hide as it’s part of the world we live in now and to a lot of people it’s important to have that communication. I have to say I really enjoy it now!

RiCo (Zile şi Nopţi): How do you expect your Blog to be different from others?
J.L.: I don’t, I’m just letting people know what’s up in my world… you see that’s the problem, it’s about having to have the most unusual gimmicky thing, I’m not led by that, it’s just a personal way to reach out and say: „what’s up!”